GDT: Game 12: Wild @ Islanders - 6:30 PM CT

[Webster]

New 3 game road trip, need to come back with more than 1 point this time.
No lineup changes, coach said.

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy
Johansson - Hartman - Zuccarello
Foligno -Eriksson Ek -Maroon
Duhaime - Dewar - Lettieri

Brodin - Faber
Middleton - Mermis
Hunt - Addison

Fleury

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[Luceni]

Should be a fun n one to watch

 

[f7ben]

I’d like to see

Johansson Ek Hartman
Foligno Dewer Zucc

 

[Digitalbooya]

I’d like to see

Johansson Ek Hartman
Foligno Dewer Zucc

Didn’t Johansson-Hartman-Zucc have like 90% xGF% last game?

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Hope the boys can keep it rolling tonight, these lines are fun when they play like they have been.

Except Middleton-Mermis, is that really confirmed? They were split all last game except one shift.

 

[Circulartheory]

Didn’t Johansson-Hartman-Zucc have like 90% xGF% last game?

Not sure which "advanced stats" I should be looking at but every stat out there had Zuccarello and Johansson nearing the top of the team in production. I know he leaves a bad taste in the mouth but I honestly think it's just byproduct of being forced in a brother role to Kaprizov that just doesn't fit.

Now, with Johansson, a simple straightforward speedy forward who doesn't have Kaprizov's upside but just plays a more direct dumbed down game ... Zuccarello has no one encourage his bad habits. There is no "playing catch". Vice versa with Kaprizov.

As long as he is kept playing a more secondary role (2nd/3rd line + 2nd PP), I think he'll turn out fine. Just keep him away from Kaprizov.

 

[AKL]

Not sure which "advanced stats" I should be looking at but every stat out there had Zuccarello and Johansson nearing the top of the team in production. I know he leaves a bad taste in the mouth but I honestly think it's just byproduct of being forced in a brother role to Kaprizov that just doesn't fit.

Now, with Johansson, a simple straightforward speedy forward who doesn't have Kaprizov's upside but just plays a more direct dumbed down game ... Zuccarello has no one encourage his bad habits. There is no "playing catch". Vice versa with Kaprizov.

As long as he is kept playing a more secondary role (2nd/3rd line + 2nd PP), I think he'll turn out fine. Just keep him away from Kaprizov.

My second biggest problem with Zuccarello has been the persistent forcing into a premier spot in the lineup over players who are better than him. Fiala, Boldy, whoever it may have been at any time. It was okay the first couple of years when he was still good and it allowed Fiala to provide secondary scoring from down the lineup (although what wasn't fine is that Fiala was the only secondary scoring down the lineup), but as of last year and the beginning of this year when he clearly wasn't that caliber of player anymore, continuing to force it is what left a bad taste in my mouth.

Now that he's moved down the lineup and off the PP1, Zuccarello himself is not an issue anymore. We have lines that make sense for the most part. The better players are all on line 1, the secondary offense is line 2, so forth.

So I'm 100% in agreement with you.

 

[Webster]

It's all about Kaprizov. Hopefully he picks up his game, but if he continues to struggle a bit then I'm pretty sure we'll see him back with Zucc, same thing if Boldy doesn't have success up there. This road trip will be important, should give us some answers.

 

[MK9]

I'm not the biggest Spurgeon fan, but he's better than anything on the mediocre 2nd & 3rd pairings. Hopefully comes back and gets Addison or whatever the current worst option is back to camping out in the press box.

 

[Soldier13Fox]

Ek doing the Lord's work. What a retrieve and pass

 

[MK9]

Alright then. Big ol' fan of that.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Maroon goal alert
Ek Daddy assist alert
Foligno assist alert

?

 

[Circulartheory]

Uhh....do we actually have 3 offensive lines if Maroon and Foligno are adding stuff?

 

[Minnesota]

Wtf Patty. I’m not even drunk yet. Slow down.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Woo

 

[Sad People]

Good start.

 

[Soldier13Fox]

Lol, Zucc was probably right to be a little heated there

 

[Minnesota]

Mayfield big. Zucc small.

 

[MK9]

Damn. Bolts are just bending the Habs in half already. 4-0 in the first. lol.

 

[Minnesota]

League’s worst PK… improves!

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Boldy pokechecks are my favorite, what a monster he is.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

JEE Maroon Foligno is dummying them.

 

[MK9]

Faber is outstanding. It's rare I can really enjoy watching a defenseman, but he's a blast to watch work.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I don't want to keep hammering it, but yet again, M&M are on the ice for a goal against.

 

[MK9]

This is in no way last years Rossi.